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Rights Groups Charge Israelis With War Crimes

Israel's iron fist tactics have been condemned as war atrocities by

an international human rights group.

Exclusive to The SPOTLIGHT

By Christopher Bollyn

Israel's military tactics in the occupied territories have been

strongly condemned and "could amount to war crimes," according

to the London-based human rights group Amnesty International

(AI).

An American group, Physicians for Human Rights USA (PHR), also

investigated the clashes by sending a team of three physicians to

the occupied territories in Gaza and the West Bank from Oct.

20-27.

PHR reinforced AI's findings, reporting that the Israeli Defense

Force (IDF) uses live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets

"excessively and inappropriately."

Five weeks of Arab-Israeli violence have left 200 people

dead—many of them children—almost all of them Palestinian.

"There is a pattern of gross human rights violations that may well

amount to war crimes," said Claudio Cordone, AI's international

research director.

AI's latest findings go much further than its earlier criticism that

Israeli troops were using "excessive force" against Palestinians.

Cordone repeated long-standing criticism of Israel's "iron fist"

military response to Palestinian demonstrations that applies

"combat reflexes" as opposed to what would be proper policing

methods.

"There is excessive use of force resulting in killings that shouldn't

take place," Cordone said. "If a kid is throwing stones at you but

not posing any other risk—you don't shoot him."

Geneva Conventions VIOLATED

AI says the Israeli forces are breaking the Geneva Conventions as

well as their own rules, namely, that lethal force must only be

used to counter an immediate threat to life.

As part of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Civilian

Convention (1949) protects civilians under occupation and has

applied to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza since the

1967 war. An IDF senior officer told PHR that "the Fourth Geneva

Convention and other humanitarian laws apply" to the current

clashes.

The Geneva Conventions prohibit murder, torture and cruel,

inhumane and degrading treatment. Included in the Geneva

Conventions is a law against force that results in disproportionate

and/or indiscriminate killing of or violence toward civilians.

In an occupation, such as Israel's of the West Bank and Gaza, the

rule of proportionality applies and prohibits excessive force

against civilians.

DEATH FROM ABOVE

Israel has repeatedly used combat helicopters firing heavy

machine guns and armor-piercing missiles on Palestinian civilians,

towns, and even ambulances.

The PHR team examined a Red Crescent Ambulance in Gaza which

was damaged by a helicopter gunship. The Israeli helicopter

strafed the ambulance with five 50-caliber shells that passed right

through the ambulance, including a metal gurney.

The bullets used by the IDF against Jewish citizens in Israel or

Jewish settlers in the occupied territories are very different than

those used on Palestinians. The bullets used for Jewish riot control

are solid rubber. There have been no reported deaths resulting

from these bullets.

The so-called rubber bullets used by the IDF against Israel's Arab

citizens and Palestinians are significantly different. The "Arab

bullets" examined by the PHR team are merely rubber-coated

steel bullets and very lethal.

The rubber-coated bullets used on Palestinians are of two shapes:

spherical and cylindrical.

The bullets used against Arabs only look rubber with a thin 2 mm

outer rubber shell around a solid steel core 1.83 cm in diameter.

HEAD INJURIES

PHR concluded that Israeli soldiers are shooting high-velocity live

ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets with intent to kill and

maim Palestinian demonstrators, based on the high number of

injuries to the head and thighs.

PHR's analysis of fatal gun shot wounds in Gaza reveals that

approximately 50 percent were to the head. The high proportion

of fatal head wounds suggests that soldiers are specifically

targeting Palestinians' eyes.

The IDF spokesman told the PHR team that he was aware of the

high incidence of gun shot wounds to the head, and did not dispute

that most of these injuries were inflicted upon people who posed

no immediate threat to any member of the IDF.

After reviewing medical records of 31 Palestinians killed in Gaza

between Sept. 30 and Oct. 24, PHR found that 53 percent were

shot by high velocity weapons and 38 percent were under the age

of 18.

PHR reported a pattern of high velocity gunshot wounds to the

leg, particularly to the thigh. These wounds cause extreme injury,

usually producing complex fractures and extensive muscle, nerve,

and vascular injury. The majority of victims of these injuries will be

permanently disabled, according to PHR.

Witness reports, IDF statements and information provided to other

human rights organizations indicate that those injured in this

manner were at most throwing stones and were not carrying

firearms.

The numerous reports of thigh wounds suggest a specific IDF

policy, according to PHR.

"A response to throwing stones that results in permanent disability

constitutes a gross violation of human rights," PHR concluded.

TARGETING AMBULANCES

PHR reported numerous instances in which the IDF blocked

hospitals in Jeru salem and prevented injured patients from

receiving care.

PHR also reported IDF shooting at medical personnel, who were

wearing vests clearly identifying them as medical personnel, while

they were providing care to the injured.

According the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), 33

ambulances were hit by gunfire and 17 were destroyed in 64

separate attacks. Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 23, PHR reported that

17 Pales tinian ambulances were "utterly de stroyed" by the IDF.

During the week from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23 alone, PHR found that 26

ambulances were damaged by gunfire.
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Edited By Hannibal: Chistopher Bollyn is the same SPOTLIGHT reporter who was threatened by the Russian businessman who makes dula modems for American voting machines which can be distorted by satellite.